Coating device for small articles



Oct. 27, 1953 w, cm 2,656,558

COATING DEVICE FOR SMALL ARTICLES Filed June 22, 1951 JNVEN TOR. JJER L- (3R1 D323 BY AN 6-inul "1% Patented Oct. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COATING DEVICE FOR SMALL ARTICLES Walter L. CridenBlacksburg, Va.

Application June 22, 1951, Serial No. 232,998

3 Claims. i

This invention relates to a coating nozzle or device for applying a coating of liquid about the periphery of small articles and more particularly to a coating device which may be employed with an oil can, or other source of supply of oil, to apply to the article an evenly-distributed uniform coating of oil.

Heretofore, oil coatings have generally been applied tovarious articles such as bolts, nuts, screws, rods, etc. by means of the well-known oil or squirt can having a spout tapering to a small discharge orifice. In use, these are inverted or tilted, as the case may be, and pressure applied to the liquid-expelling means to discharge oil through the open end of the spout. Consequently, when applying a coating to the entire surface of a rod or bolt, it is necessary to apply pressure to the liquid-expelling means while simultaneously causing relative movement between the discharge orifice and the surface of the article. This procedure requires the use of an excess amount of time and energy and also does not always insure the application of an even coating. Moreover, when coating an article by this pro cedure, there is a considerable loss of the coating liquid.

It is an object of this invention to provide a coating nozzle that will supply only the amount of coating liquid necessary to give a uniform coating to the article surface, and which obviates the necessity of making repeated applications of the coating material about the periphery of the article.

The nozzle of the instant invention comprises a body member having a passage therethrough for receiving the article to be coated and a plurality of liquid-applying bristles positioned about the wall of the passage and forming an opening through which the article to be coated is adapted to be passed with the surfaces thereof in contact with the end portions of the bristles. Liquid is supplied to the bristles so that when an article to be coated is passed through the opening in the bristles with its surface in contact with the bri tles, the wiping of the bristles along the surface of the article will cause a uniform coating to be applied to its surfaces.

To employ the nozzle of the present invention, it is only necessary to supply a small amount of coating liquid to the bristles and then insert the article into the passage and withdraw it. As

the article passes into the passage, the outer surfaces thereof will be wiped by the end portions of the bristles and an evenly-distributed uniform coating of liquid will be applied thereto.

The novel features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings showing illustrative forms of the nozzle embodying the invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the coating nozzle of the invention secured to the spout of an oil can,

Fig. 2 is an end view of the coating nozzle, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a modified form of the coating nozzle.

Referring to the drawings, and first to Figs. 1 and 2, the coating nozzle comprises a body I consisting of parts 2 and 3. The part 2 is generally bell-shaped and has a threaded nipple or fitting 4 at one end thereof to receive a threaded sleeve 5 secured to the spout 6 of an oil can, or other source of oil supply.

The part 3 has a closed-end cylindrical portion 1 extending into the bell-shaped part 2. The inner surfaces of the cylindrical portion define a chamber 8 having openings 9 in the walls thereof to permit a coating fluid to enter the chamber. The part 3, outwardly from the cylindrical portion, tapers outwardly to form a protective skirt l0. About the inner wall surface of the cylindrical portion and slightly outwardly of the openings 9, is a groove l I in which :a rubber annulus I2 is secured. Bristles I3 are mounted in the rubber annulus l2 and extend inwardly toward the center of the chamber to form a disclike brush having a cylindrical center opening I4 through which the articles to be coated are passed with their surface in contact with the ends of the bristles defining the opening. The part 3 has a shoulder l5 extending outwardly at the level of the bottoms of the openings 9 from which an internally-threaded cylindrical flange l6 extends. The flange is threaded onto the externally-threaded end portion I1 of the bell-shaped part 2 until the open end of said part seats firmly on the shoulder !5. If desired, a sealing gasket may be interposed between the end portion and the shoulder to insure a fluidtight connection.

The closed cylindrical portion 1 is positioned in spaced relationship within the bell-shaped part 2 to define an annular passage I8 for the coating liquid. Coating liquid enters the nozzle through the nipple 4 and after passing through the annular passage l8, passes through openings 9 into the chamber 8, where it flows onto and saturates the bristles I 3.

When using the coating nozzle, for example to apply an oil coating to a bolt, it is only necesor other source of supply.

J) sary to supply a small amount of oil to the bristles [3 through the openings 9 and then insert the bolt into the chamber 8 through the opening formed by the ends of the bristles and then withdraw it. As the bolt passes into the chamber, the shank thereof will be wiped by the end portions of the bristles and an evenly-distributed uniform coating of oil will be applied thereto. The thickness of the coating will be determined by the amount of oil applied to the bristles, but regardless of whether a thin or relatively thick coating is desired, it may be obtained without the application of excess oil to the bolt, and the waste resulting therefrom.

A modified form of the present invention is shown in Fig. 3, wherein the nozzle is made of a plastic material and has a structure generally similar to the nozzle of Fig. 1. The nozzle in this form of the invention comprises a body 20 consisting of parts 2! and 22. The part 21 is generally bell-shaped and has a threaded nipple 23 at one end thereof to receive a threaded sleeve 2 secured to the spout 25 of an oil can, A shoulder 26 is formed about the outer wall surface of the part 2|, at a point Where the Wall surface is of a reduced outer diameter in the form of a depending rim 2? and rests on a portion of the part 22 to be hereinafter described.

The part 22 has a closed-end cylindrical portion 28 extending into the bell-shaped part 2%. The inner surfaces of the cylindrical portion 28 define a chamber 29 having openings in the walls thereof to permit a coating liquid to enter the chamber. The part 22, outwardly from the cylindrical portion 28 tapers outwardly to form a protective skirt 3i. Bristles 32 are embedded directly into the walls of the cylindrical portion 28 and are positioned slightly outwardly of the openings 30. The bristles 32 extend inwardly toward the center of the chamber 29 and form a disc-like brush having a cylindrical center opening 33 through which the articles to be coated are passed with their surface in contact with the ends of the bristles defining the opening. The part 22 has a shoulder 34 extending'outwardly at the level of the bottoms of the openings 30, V

fromwhich a cylindrical flange 35 extends. The flange 35 is of such size as to receive and form a tight fit with the depending rim 2'! of the bella.

gasket may be interposed between the end porticn of the rim 2? and the shoulder 34 to insure a liquid-tight connection.

The modified form of the nozzle is used in a manner similar to the nozzle shown in Fig. 1 and described above.

It will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its material advantages, the forms herein described being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

I claim:

1. A device for applying an oil coating to bolts and the like comprising a body member forming a chamber having a closed end and an open end for receiving articles to be coated, a band of bristles secured to the chamber walls and extending into the chamber, said band of bristles being located sufficiently remote from the closed end of the chamber to provide a space inwardly or the band of bristles of substantial distance for receiving articles to be coated, a passageway for coating liquid extending from a position opposite the closed end of the body member to a position opposite the side walls of the chamber only slightly inwardly of said band of bristles, the side walls of the chamber having openings there- 'in communicating with the chamber inwardly (if said band of bristles and with said passageway, a fitting carried by the body' member opposite the closed end of the chamber and forming an inlet for the introduction into said passageway of a coating liquid to be passed therethrough and through said openings onto the band of ensues, said fitting being adapted to be connected to the spout of an oil can.

2. A device as defined in claim 1- in which the passageway for the coating liquid is formed in said body member and the chamber is of generally cylindrical shape and has an outwardly-flar ing skirt extendingfrom its open end to facilitate the introduction of articles to be coated into the i chamber.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 in which the band of bristles is a narrow, annular one and is positioned adjacent the juncture of the cylin drical portion of the chamber and the outwardly-- flaring skirt. g V WALTER L. 'CRIDER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

